Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation

The Exchange Variation of the Grünfeld Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5) is the most frequent continuation in the Grünfeld (ECO D85–D89). After the most common move, 5.e4, which drives Black's knight away, White has an imposing centre, and the main continuation 5...Nxc3 6.bxc3 strengthens it further.

The idea

Black attacks White's centre with ...c5 and ...Bg7, often followed by moves such as ...Qa5, ...cxd4, ...Bg4 and ...Nc6. White often uses the big centre to launch an attack against Black's king.

Main lines

After 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7:

• 7.Bc4 with Ne2, the Classical Variation. For decades theory held this to be the correct way to develop, often followed by castling and f4–f5. One subvariation is the Seville Variation, 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bxf7+, which Anatoly Karpov played in four games of his 1987 world championship match against Garry Kasparov in Seville. Theory had long considered 12.Bxf7+ a poor move.
• 7.Nf3, the Modern Exchange Variation. An early Nf3 was long thought weak because of pressure from ...Bg4, but in the late 1970s Karpov, Kasparov and others found new ways to play it, often with an early Rb1 to take the rook off the a1–h8 diagonal. A more recent system uses Be3, Qd2 and Rc1 or Rd1 to support the centre. Vladimir Kramnik won game 2 of the 2000 world championship match against Kasparov with a new idea in the main line, and Kasparov, a well-known Grünfeld player, abandoned the Grünfeld for the rest of his career after the match.

Instead of 5.e4, White can play 5.Na4, the Nadanian Attack, first played by Ashot Nadanian in 1996. The knight controls c5, and after 5...Bg7 the planned 6.e4 wins back the tempo, since Black's d5-knight must move a second time. White can also play 5.Bd2 and other moves.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• White gets a big pawn centre and chances to attack Black's king.
• Black gets clear targets for counterplay against that centre.

Weaknesses

• White's centre can come under heavy pressure from ...c5, ...Bg7, ...Nc6 and ...Bg4.
• Black has to be ready for a direct attack on the king.

Who should play it

The Exchange Variation suits White players who want to take on the Grünfeld directly with a big centre, and Black players who are confident attacking a centre with pieces.

The numbers

On Lichess Black is ahead up to 2200: 49.3% against 46.9% for White under 1400, 50.3% against 44.5% at 1400–1799 and 47.3% against 45.5% at 1800–2199. From 2200 up White leads, 47.1% against 43.4%. In about 22,700 master games White won 28.6%, Black 18.4%, and 53.1% were drawn.